Water heater



R. J. WILSON WATER HEATER Filed April 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 6, 1925 R. .1. WILSON WATER HEATER Filed April 18 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fioer/ J H0750 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

UNITED STATES ROBERT J. WILSON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

WATER HEATER.

Application filed April 18, 1922. Serial No. 555,050.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. WILsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of \Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in water heating apparatus which is designed more especially for warming residences, and other buildings.

The object of my invention is the provision of apparatus of this character which will afford a large heating capacity and one in which the water and heating medium are circulated in a most economical and effective manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the external surfaces of the walls of the water containing coil are rendered free of soot, scale or other heat insulating matter.

lVit-h these and other ends in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations thereof as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view partly in front elevation, partly in vertical section, of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a hori- Zontal sectional view taken through the casing at 2-2 of Fig. 1, and illustrating the heating coil in plan. Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sectional views taken substantially through 33 and 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The improved water-heater is provided with an outer shell 6, preferably cylindrical, having a peripheral wall 7 and a top wall 8.

As illustrated, said shell is supported upon a hollow base section 9 which is provided with openings for the removal of ashes, etc.

The upper end of the base section is open as at 10 to afford communication between the interiors of the shell and base members.

11 represents a burner disposed at approximately the axis of the base and is supplied with fuel in any well known or suitable manner through the conduit 11 Depending from frame bars 12 in the upper end of the shell is a spiral coil 13 formed by vertically-disposed spaced walls 14 and 15 and top and bottom walls 16 and 17 respectively. i 7

As indicated in Fig. 1 the water containing chamber 18 within the coil is very narrow.

At its outer end and adjacent to the shell wall 7 the coil is formed to provide a boss 20 into the bottom of which engages an inlet pipe 19, connected with a suitable water-supply or with the return pipes of a hot-water heating system.

The other extremity or central portion of the coil is formed to provide at the top a boss 21 in which is engaged an outlet pipe 22 for carrying hot water or steam to a desired place. 23 represents a plate fitted between the bars 12 and constituting therewith a roof for the combustion space between the convolutions of said coil.

The outlet pipe 22 extends through the roof plate 23 and the top wall 8 of the shell. By the arrangement described of the inlet and outlet connections it will be understood that the course of the water in the coil will be centripetal as indicated by the unfeathcred arrows in Fig. 2.

24 represents a partition closing the opening between the outer end of the coil and the peripheral shell-wall 7.

Adjacent to the partition 24 the shell wall 7 is provided with an opening for a smoke pipe 25 (Fig. 2) which, as indicated by dotted lines 25 in Fig. 1, is located at a slightly higher elevation than the bottom of the coil.

By such an arrangement of the smoke out-- let and by reason of the burner 11 being located centrally of the coil the flames and hot combustion gases ascending from the burner into the central portion of the combustion chamber and in traveling from the latter to the smoke pipe 25 circulate between the convolutions of the coil as denoted by the feathered direction arrows in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the central portion of the coil is subjected to the most intense heat from the burner and that the water entering the coil from its outer extremity is progressively brought into increasingly hotter portions of the combustion chamber of the heater.

Located in the shell and at a short dis tance below the coil 13 is a ring gear 26 which is preferably supported for rotary motion by the provision in the gear of a circumferential groove 27 into which extend rollers 28 which are journaled on posts 29 provided upon a rigid supporting frame 30.

31 represents a pinion engaging the teeth of said ring gear, said pinion being mounted upon an operating shaft 32 which is journaled in a bearing box 33 and is provided exteriorly of the shell with an operating crank 34 for effecting rotary motion to the ring.

Secured to and extending upwardly from said rin gear is a stud 35 which serves as a pivot for a device whereby said coil may be cleaned. Such device consists of a spring-metal bifurcated bar having two complementary horizontal arms 36 disposed at opposite sides of the pivot stud 35 and engaged therewith against endwise displacement by the revision of opposing recesses in said branciies to accommodate said stud.

Each of the arms 36 of said bar terminate in an upwardly extending scraper element 37 which are disposed to bear respectively against the inner and outer walls 14 and 15 of said coil.

Vhen the ring-gear is suitably rotated the stud 35 thereon revolubly carries said device which is guided by the scra r elements 37 contacting the opposite si e walls 14 and 15 of the coil to scrape any accumulation of dirt or dust from the external surfaces thereof. The resilienc of the arms 36 facilitates the cleaning e ect of the device,

By suitably turning the crank 34, the scraping device is caused to travel in both revoluble directions until stopped by the elements 37 encountering the coil bosses 20 and 22 and when unemployed the device is desirably brought into approximately the position in which it is represented in Fig. 4.

What I claim, is,

1. In a water-heater having a heating chamber provided with a smoke outlet in its peripheral wall, a water-containing coil provided in the upper portion of the heating chamber, said coil being arranged to provide a smoke-flue which extends horizontally and spirally from the center of the chamber to said outlet, an annular member rotatably mounted below the said coil, means pivotally connected to said member and revolubly carried thereby for cleaning the outer surfaces of said coil, and means to rotate said member for actuating the aforesaid means.

2. In a water-heater having a heating chamber provided with a smoke outlet in its peripheral wall, a water-containing coil provided in the upper portion of the heating chamber, said coil being arranged to provide a smoke-flue which extends horizon tally and spirally from the center of the chamber to said outlet, a member rotatably mounted below the said coil, means connected to said member and revolubly carried thereby for cleaning the outer surfaces of said coil, and means to rotate said member for actuating the aforesaid means.

3. In a water-heater a spiral water-containing coil, scraper devices provided for the exterior surface of the coil, said scraper devices comprising a substantially horizon;- tally disposed bifurcated bar having scraper elements extending upwardl from the outer ends of the respective bi urcations, n ta means connected ad'acent to the other en s of the bar for revo ubly carrying the latter, and ivotal means for connect" said bar to t e said rotar. means to afi l arcuate movements of sai scraper elements.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 13th day of April, 1922.

ROBERT J. WILSON. 

